According to recent research, one of the most important emotions that you could experience behind the wheel of a car is anger. If you’ve ever been stuck in traffic or had another driver cut you off, you’ve probably experienced at least a little bit of road rage. It turns out that carrying anger from work, home, or traffic can seriously endanger you.
Data from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute indicate that it’s even more important for you to be calm and in otherwise healthy emotional state when you are behind the wheel. Angry driving could increase your risk of being involved in an accident by tenfold.
Bear in mind that extreme fatigue only increases the odds of a car accident by three times while talking on your cellphone only doubles your chances. One of the other surprising outcomes of this study is that interacting with a child in the back of the car is not as distracting as people might have otherwise thought.
According to the data from the study, it actually decreases the chances of crashing the car, having a very protective effect on the driver’s ultimate concentration levels. Applying makeup and eating food behind the wheel were also not found to be significant distractive activities.
The research project explored the experiences of more than 3,500 people across the country with the assistance of video cameras inside the vehicles. Another important fact to know is that reaching for an object located in your car can increase the chances of a crash by as much as nine times. Perhaps the old driver’s ed tip about keeping your hands at ten and two is worth something after all!
Being involved in a serious car accident because someone else was distracted or otherwise negligent behind the wheel can have a significant impact on the rest of your life. You are likely faced with costly medical bills and the pain and suffering associated with the injuries you have incurred. Consulting with a knowledgeable San Francisco personal injury lawyer should be your first plan of attack after an accident. You may be entitled to receive compensation for your injuries.